Anigozanthos hybrid plant named &#39;GOLD VELVET&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘GOLD VELVET’ is a distinctive variety of  Anigozanthos  hybrid which is characterized by the combination of its medium plant height with an upright growth habit and a semi-erect leaf attitude, large number of flowers per inflorescence and a predominantly yellow colored perianth tube.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosedherein is Anigozanthos hybrid.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The inventive variety of Anigozanthos disclosed herein has been giventhe variety denomination ‘GOLD VELVET’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety ofAnigozanthos hybrid, which has been given the variety denomination of‘GOLD VELVET’. Its market class is that of an ornamental plant. ‘GOLDVELVET’ is intended for use in landscaping and as a decorative plant.

The Anigozanthos hybrid variety ‘GOLD VELVET’ was the result of acontrolled pollination between seed parent un-named Anigozanthos hybrid(A. humilis×A. flavidus) and pollen parent un-named Anigozanthos hybrid(A. pulcherrimus×A. flavidus) in 2002 in an Australian nursery in thestate of Western Australia. Seed were collected and germinated in vitroduring 2003. Resultant plants were tested in 200 mm pots and in groundduring 2003-2004. The inventive variety was finally selected in 2004based on plant height, plant growth vigor, flower color and floweringseason. ‘GOLD VELVET’ is propagated asexually by micropropagation. Thedistinctive characteristics of the inventive ‘GOLD VELVET’ variety arestable from generation to generation; clones of the variety produced byasexual reproduction maintain the distinguishing characteristics of theoriginal plant.

‘GOLD VELVET’ has a medium plant height including the inflorescence(range 90-110 cm) with an upright growth habit and a semi-erect leafattitude whereas the seed parent has a short plant height (approximately50 cm) and the pollen parent has a tall plant height (160-180 cm). ‘GOLDVELVET’ has a large number of flowers per inflorescence with thepredominant color of the perianth tube being yellow whereas the seedparent has a yellow-orange predominant perianth tube color and thepollen parent has a yellow predominant perianth tube color changing toorange over the ovary. Time of beginning of flowering for ‘GOLD VELVET’is spring whereas the seed parent is late winter and the pollen parentis late spring to early summer.

An application for plant breeders' rights for variety ‘GOLD VELVET’ hasbeen lodged with the Australian Plant Breeders' Rights Office, and wasfirst gazetted in February 2005 under Application No. 2005/048.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘GOLD VELVET’ is a distinctive variety of Anigozanthos hybrid which ischaracterized by the combination of its medium plant height with anupright growth habit and a semi-erect leaf attitude, large number offlowers per inflorescence and a predominantly yellow colored perianthtube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a ‘GOLD VELVET’ plant and the comparison variety ‘YellowGem’.

FIG. 2. shows a ‘GOLD VELVET’ plant foliage.

FIG. 3 shows a ‘GOLD VELVET’ flower and leaf detail to scale.

FIG. 4 shows a ‘GOLD VELVET’ flower and inflorescence.

FIG. 5 shows a ‘GOLD VELVET’ flower outer perianth tube detail.

FIG. 6 shows a ‘GOLD VELVET’ anther position detail.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed botanical description of a new and distinctvariety of an Anigozanthos hybrid ornamental plant known as ‘GOLDVELVET’. Plant observations were made on plants grown in New SouthWales, Australia. Unless indicated otherwise, the descriptions disclosedherein are based upon observations made from October 2005 to February2006 of mature ‘GOLD VELVET’ plants grown in nursery pots.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristicswill vary with older or, conversely, younger plants. ‘GOLD VELVET’ hasnot been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Wheredimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is tobe understood that such characteristics are approximations or averagesset forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety mayvary with variations in the environment such as season, temperature,light intensity, day length, cultural conditions and the like. Colornotations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Color Chart, TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, 1995 edition.

‘GOLD VELVET’ is a perennial Anigozanthos hybrid plant which resultedfrom a controlled pollination between seed parent un-named Anigozanthoshybrid (A. humilis×A. flavidus) and pollen parent un-named Anigozanthoshybrid (A. pulcherrimus×A. flavidus). After its selection, ‘GOLD VELVET’was asexually propagated by micropropagation. ‘GOLD VELVET’ has a mediumplant height including the inflorescence with an upright growth habitand a semi-erect leaf attitude, large number of flowers perinflorescence and a predominantly yellow colored perianth tube.

Growth Habit, Dimensions and Color

‘GOLD VELVET’ is a medium, rhizomatous plant forming an upright fanshaped tuft. Average plant height including the inflorescence is about100 cm (range 90-110 cm), average height of foliage only is 40 cm (range30-60 cm) and average plant spread is 40 cm in a mature plant grown innursery or field plots in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (observedspring 2005-summer 2006). The number of inflorescences is medium. Themature leaf length is long (range 35-40 cm) and the mature leaf width isbroad (approximately 20 mm in a 140 mm pot). The leaf attitude issemi-erect and the degree of leaf curvature is slightly curved. Theupper and lower sides of the leaf are yellow green (approximately RHS147A) in color (observed summer 2006). Leaf glaucosity is very weak. Thedegree of hairyness of the leaf margin is absent to very weaklyexpressed. The leaf shape is linear-slightly falcate, leaf base iscauline, leaf margin is entire, leaf apex is acute and leaf surfacetexture is glabrous. The leaf venation pattern is parallel; the color isthe same as the rest of the_leaf. The leaf attitude is semi-erect. Arepresentative ‘GOLD VELVET’ plant is shown in FIG. 1.

These features and other characteristics are apparent from thedescription provided below.

Roots

The roots of ‘GOLD VELVET’ are fibrous, freely branching and white incolor and are similar to other Anigozanthos hybrids.

Rhizomes

The rhizomes of ‘GOLD VELVET’ are short creating a tufted plant similarto other Anigozanthos hybrids.

Inflorescence

Branching of the inflorescence is present and the degree of ramificationis tertiary. The length of the lowest lateral is medium (approximately14 cm). The number of flowers per inflorescence is many, a typical planthaving approximately 10 racemes per inflorescence, each with about 10flowers (longer than 3 mm) in a 140 mm pot size (observed summer 2006).Peduncle diameter at the base is approximately 9.5 mm.

Flowers

The color of hairs on the pedicel corresponds to red (approximately RHS46A). The perianth tube length is medium (range 32 to 33 mm) and thewidth is medium (approximately 7 mm below perianth lobes) on an openingflower. Perianth tube profile is broadening evenly. The predominantcolor of the outer perianth tube is yellow (approximately RHS 12A). Thenumber of colors on hairs on the perianth tube is one and thiscorresponds to yellow (approximately RHS 12A). The inner color of theperianth tube is a yellow green (RHS 144A). The inner color of theperianth tube lobes is a grayed green (RHS 191A-B). Perianth lobe lengthis medium (approximately 11 mm for the longest lobe). reflexing of thelobes is medium to strong. The number of anthers at the top of theperianth is four. The color of the hairs on the ovary corresponds to red(approximately RHS 46A). The position of the stigma in relation to theanthers is above. Time to beginning of flowering is early-medium.

Comparison of ‘GOLD VELVET’ with Other Varieties of Anigozanthos Hybrid

‘GOLD VELVET’ combines a medium plant height with an upright growthhabit and a semi-erect leaf attitude, large number of flowers perinflorescence and a predominantly yellow colored perianth tube comparedto other Anigozanthos hybrids.

‘GOLD VELVET’ has a shorter plant height than another comparable typeknown as ‘Yellow Gem’ (unpatented) with a height of 90-110 cm whereas‘Yellow Gem’ is 150-180 cm tall. ‘GOLD VELVET’ has many flowers perinflorescence whereas ‘Yellow Gem’ has a medium number. ‘GOLD VELVET’has a medium perianth tube length whereas ‘Yellow Gem’ has a short tomedium perianth tube length. ‘GOLD VELVET’ has a predominantly mediumyellow perianth tube color whereas ‘Yellow Gem’ has a predominantlybright yellow perianth tube color. ‘GOLD VELVET’ has a spring floweringseason whereas ‘Yellow Gem’ has a spring to summer flowering season.

The combination of medium plant height with an upright growth habit anda semi-erect leaf attitude, large number of flowers per inflorescenceand a predominantly yellow colored perianth tube makes ‘GOLD VELVET’ adesirable ornamental plant suited for mass production for pot andlandscape use.

Asexual Reproduction

‘GOLD VELVET’ was germinated as a seedling in vitro and asexuallyreproduced by micropropagation. Several generations have been reproducedand ‘GOLD VELVET’ has been observed to retain all distinguishingcharacteristics that were noted in the original ‘GOLD VELVET’ seedling.In vitro plants of ‘GOLD VELVET’ initiate roots in 7 to 10 days.

Environmental Tolerances

‘GOLD VELVET’ plants have exhibited good tolerance to rain and wind andto tolerate temperatures from 1 to about 40 degrees Celsius. ‘GOLDVELVET’ has moderate to good drought tolerance. ‘GOLD VELVET’ hasmoderate to good recovery with watering after severe wilting. ‘GOLDVELVET’ does well in sandy and gravelly soils.

Disease Resistance

‘GOLD VELVET’ has not been observed to be resistant to other pathogensand pests common to Angiozanthos. Further testing is underway.

1. A new and distinct variety of Anigozanthos hybrid plant named “GOLDVELVET’, substantially as described and illustrated herein.